Software Installation Policy

Purpose and Reason

The Engineering Computer Network (ECN) software installation policy sets deadlines for ECS staff to receive software to be installed on lab computers (classroom laptops, Hering, Elder, 2301, 1245, 3231, and departmental teaching labs administered by ECS). Software must be installed within security and licensing constraints established by ECS. Because software is not equally well written for network installation, ECS cannot guarantee that all packages can be successfully installed.

Who Is Affected

Instructors wishing to assign projects using software on the lab network and individuals holding training sessions in any lab or teaching classroom should understand this policy.

Software Installation Policy

Software to be used in fall and spring courses must be given to ECS one (1) month before the start of fall classes. Software known to be difficult to install must be given to ECS two (2) months before the start of the fall semester.

No changes will be made to the lab loads during the year.

Laptops load changes to the user environment may be made during a semester. Laptop load changes required a complete reload must be approved by the ECS Director. Because reloading the laptops is a time-intensive activity, if you plan to use the laptops in class, please borrow one from ECS so that you can test the software you intend to use.

Software to be used in a special training session must be given to ECS 1 month before the start of the session. In addition, you must supply a technical contact with the software so that ECS staff can discussion installation issues.

Procedure

The requesting instructor must fill out the software installation form [on-line; to be created; name, phone or other contact information, name of software, platform on which to install, course number in which it will be used, any licensing information, …] and bring applicable media, documentation, and licensing information to ECN, 1256 SC by the above noted deadline.

Within two weeks of receiving the software, ECS will notify instructor if the software cannot be installed on the network.

Requirements

In general, software to be installed on the Engineering Computer Network must:

Run under Windows 7 or 64-bit Linux

Be network capable

Understand long filenames

Allow the installing administrator to set the location of files the software needs to create and modify

Be IPv6 compatible

Run as ordinary user (not administrator)

Have a licensing system that does not require administrative action on each computer (no web activation per host

Have a silent installation method (no user interaction during installation)*